Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has declared its readiness to support President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to fighting corruption in the country, just as it punches its youth wing on taking side with the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu.
Ohanaeze also vehemently distanced itself from a recent press statement credited to its youth wing suggesting that the apex Igbo organisation asked that the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, “be given the benefit of doubt until the series of investigations into her involvement in the alleged N583m financial wrongdoing proves her to be complicit.”
A statement by National Publicity Secretary of the group, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, described the press release of the Igbo youth leader, Chukwuma Okpalaaezeukwu, as reckless and youthful exuberance.
According to the Ohanaeze spokesman, the youth qualified the allegations against Edu as an “administrative infelicity and not a financial heist since the Accountant General had confirmed that she did not honour the payment.”
“In the first place, the press release on the Betta Edu by Okpalaezeukwu fails woefully by all standards of logic, common sense, rhyme, reason, interests and all the known norms and traditions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
“In other words, the press release is extremely impetuous, imprudent, unreflective, despicable, harebrained, intolerable and at variance with the philosophy of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
“The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has expressed his disgust over the press release by Okpalaezeukwu.
“The Igbo leader explained that the Igbo credo is anchored on hard work, resourcefulness, transparency, equity, fairness and an enabling environment for the Igbo ingenuity and entrepreneurship to find full expressions in Nigeria.
“He therefore wondered why Okpalaezeukwu would dabble into the activities of the anti-corruption agencies as it affects Edu.
“Once more, emphasis is made that Ohanaeze Ndigbo represents the history, emotions and consciousness of the Igbo; and that Ohanaeze serves as the Igbo sacred temple which should not, by any stretch of imagination, be desecrated upon by youthful rascality, imprudence and perversions.
“It is therefore, highly inconceivable that a young man would wake up and issue a press release in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo with neither clearance nor consultations with the leadership”, Ogbonnia said